Do you know the intimate details of your partner’s life? Do you know what he or she likes and dislikes, and what makes him or her happy and sad? What are his or her favorite movies, music, television programs, books, and activities? What about his or her work life: do you know about his or her coworkers and the name of his or her boss? If you know the answers to these questions accurately, you have made space for your partner in your life, and your marriage or love relationship is most likely in a good place.
The small things in your daily life are where you will notice your partner. For instance, when you’re at a restaurant and the waiter asks what your partner wants, you have a good chance of being able to answer his or her top choices on the menu. You’re more likely to record his or her favorite program on the DVR because you know he or she would enjoy watching it together. You have a connection when you know each other’s goals in life, what you’re both afraid of, and what you’re both striving to achieve.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, what state is your marriage or love relationship in? Most likely, you’re feeling distant from each other. Your love may not be as strong as it once was. Perhaps an injury has occurred that stopped you from making the effort to update your partner’s likes and dislikes. Maybe you tried to be there for your partner, but suddenly realized that he or she wasn’t there for you.
Knowing the intimate details about each other’s lives is a sign of a strong, healthy bond in a marriage or love relationship, and it helps you cope much more effectively with the predictable and unpredictable stressors in life that we all face. But the couples who are healthy and happy together weren’t born with a supernatural gift for being in relationships. Most likely, the purposely are doing things that unhealthy couples either stop doing, or never got into a habit of doing from the beginning.
Healthy couples make it a habit to talk about their deepest hopes, desires, and fears. Regardless of how busy they are in their lives, they take the time to make each other a priority. At least once a week, they go out for “date night,” and instead of sitting at a restaurant across from each other in silence, they’re engaging with each other and sharing each other’s lives together. The more you know and understand about your partner or spouse, the more likely your marriage or love relationship will stay on track and will grow even stronger. It isn’t enough just to know each other. You need to use what you know about your partner or spouse to help build your love for each other to help make each other’s dreams become realities.
Share Your Experiences
Do you have a pattern as a couple that helps you stay close and up-to-date on each other’s lives? Do you sometimes feel lonely, like your partner doesn’t really care about what is happening in your day-to-day life? Share what works and what is hard in your relationship. If you found this message helpful, share it with a friend or family member by clicking the share button below.
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Author
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Travis Atkinson, founder of Loving at Your Best Marriage and Couples Counseling, brings three decades of expertise to relationship healing. Mentored by pioneers in schema and emotionally focused therapies, he's revolutionized couples counseling with innovative approaches. Travis's multicultural background informs his unique view of each relationship as its own culture. He combines world-class expertise with genuine compassion to guide couples towards deeper connection.
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